Canada. The house of Assembly consists of 66 members; 16 for Upper, and 50 for Lower Canada; who are chosen by the freeholders in the towns and counties. The forms of business are nearly the same as in the British parliament. At the head of affairs in all British America, is a Governor General, who is commander in chief of all the forces. The ordinary revenue of Lower Canada is about £35,000 sterling; and nearly the same amount is yearly collected under temporary acts of the provincial legislatures. Upper Canada is maintained at a cost to the British government of nearly £500,000. In 1793 the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada were erected into a bishop's see; though there are not in the country 20 clergymen of the established church. In Lower Canada, the majority of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics.

Canada was discovered by Sebastian Cabot, when sailing under a commission from Henry VII. of England. As early as the beginning of the 16th century, unsuccessful attempts were made by the French to establish settlements on the coast of Newfoundland. At the beginning of the 17th century the first cargo of furs was exported from Canada, and the profits of this voyage convinced the French of the value of these possessions. They persevered in their efforts at settlement, and in 1608 founded Quebec. During the infancy of the settlement the French were much harassed by the Indians, and were several times nearly exterminated. In 1763 the whole territory was ceded to the British.

In 1760 the population of Canada amounted to 71,000; in 1814, to 400,000; and at the present time it amounts to about 700,000.

6. NEW BRITAIN. This country, which is annexed to the government of Lower Canada, extends from 50° to 70° N. lat., and from 55° to 105° W. lon.; being about 1,350 miles in length, and nearly as much in its utmost breadth. On the S. it is bounded by the Gulf of St Lawrence and Canada; on the E. by the Atlantic ocean; but the lands on the northern and western boundaries have not yet been explored. It contains the districts called New North Wales, New South Wales, and Labrador.

New Britain contains several lakes; one called Winnipeg or 'muddy water,' not much inferior in size to Lake Huron, lies within banks shaded by the sugar maple and poplars, and surrounded by fertile plains. The Lake of the Woods is formed by the river de la Pluie; Slave Lake is about a thousand miles in circumference, receiving the waters of Lake Athapescow, and discharges itself at its N. W. extremity, through Mackenzie's river into the Frozen ocean. Churchill's river empties itself into Hudson's Bay. Other rivers are the Nelson, Saskatchewan, Severn and Albany. A ridge called the Portage la Loche, 13 miles in breadth, divides the waters that discharge themselves into Hudson's bay from those which flow into the Northern Ocean.

Hudson's Bay is an extensive inland sea, above 1000 miles in length, and about 600 at its greatest breadth. On the S. it, verges into what is called James's Bay; on the W. lies Button's Bay. The entrance into this bay is called Hudson's Strait, and is divided by islands into three parts. Belleisle strait separates the southeastern extremity of Labrador from Newfoundland.

At

The climate is remarkably cold, and in the winter intensely severe. this time wine is frozen into a solid mass, and brandy coagulated into a species of thick oil; the breath is condensed as it leaves the mouth, and, when in bed, forms on the blankets a kind of hoar frost. In winter the aurora borealis is very frequent.

The inland country is elevated, dry, and abundantly fertile in spontaneous productions; the coasts are low, marshy, exposed to fogs, dreary and

unproductive. In many places round IIudson's Bay, it is thought that most kinds of grain may be brought to perfection. Iron, lead, copper and marble have been found in the mountainous parts. Some parts abound in excellent coal.

In this country there are but few white inhabitants; they reside principally at the several settlements, of the Moravian missionaries, and of the Hudson Bay Company. This company was chartered in 1600 to trade for furs, and it exports annnally about 47,600 skins. The annual produce of the fisheries on the coast of Labrador, has been calculated at about £60,000.

7. ANIMALS OF BRITISH AMERICA. Besides the black and grizzly bears there is a peculiar species called the Barren Ground Bear. This frequents the barren lands lying to the northward and eastward of Great Slave Lake, extending to the Arctic Sea. It differs from the American black bear in its greater size, profile, physiognomy, longer soles and tail; and from the grizzly bear in color, and the comparative smallness of its claws. Its greatest affinity is with the brown bear of Norway. It frequents the sea-coast in the autumn, in considerable numbers, for the purpose of feeding on fish. The general color of these animals is a dusky brown, pale towards the tips of the hair. The Indians dread them very much, and are careful to avoid burning bones in their hunting encampments, lest the smell should attract them. They do not, however, possess the boldness of the grizzly bear.

The Rein-deer, or Caribou of North America, from its great resemblance to that of Europe, has been considered the same species. They are numerous in the country round Hudson's Bay, and in the northern parts of Canada. They exist also in Greenland, Labrador and Newfoundland. There are two well marked varieties of the caribou, that inhabit the fur countries, called the Woodland Caribou; one of them inhabiting the woody and more southern districts, the other passing the summer on the coast of the Arctic sea, or on the barren grounds, and retiring to the woods only in summer, called the Barren Ground Caribou. The latter is much smaller than the woodland caribou, and is much more valuable for food. The barren lands would be wholly uninhabitable by the Indians, if it were not for the immense herds of these deer that exist there. Of their horns, they make fish spears and hooks, and the hide, dressed with the fur, is excellent for winter clothing, and supplies the place of both blankets and feather bed. It also forms a soft and pliable leather, adapted for moccasins, and when many skins are sewed together, they serve as tents. Ropes and thread are also made of the tendons. Their flesh affords excellent food, and is prepared in many different forms. The caribou is taken by the Indians in immense numbers in snares and traps, and great quantities are killed by the bow and arrow. The American reindeer has never been domesticated, or used for draught, and is only regarded as game by the Indians.

Wolves. The Gray Wolf is common in the northern parts of America. It has been found in Canada entirely white. The Red Wolf is also found associated with the gray wolf. The Black Wolf differs from the gray wolf only in color; their haunts and holes are precisely the same. The Dusky Wolf differs very little from the black variety. It is supposed that the various kinds of wolves in America, are of one original stock; the differences having been formed by varieties of situation and climate.

The Beaver is found from lat. 30° to the banks of the Mackenzie, and from east to west, from one side of the continent to the other, except in the barren districts. In high latitudes, they are confined to the wooded districts. They are plentiful in the Canada and the Hudson's Bay country,

where they are taken in great quantities, and their skins are imported into Great Britain. The habits and manners of the beaver are too well known to

make any description of them necessary.

It is commonly of a gray color, but other varieties have been found, black, white and spotted. Foxes. The Arctic Fox is found in the northern parts of America, and is very abundant around Hudson's Bay. In its winter dress, it is of a pure white color. It breeds on the sea coast, principally within the arctic circle, forming burrows in sandy spots. Its fur is of small value, but its flesh is palatable. The Sooty Fox is a mere variety of the arctic fox. It is of a blackish brown color. The Cross Fox is considered as a variety of the red fox. Its fur is very valuable.

The Black or Siberia Fox is more rare than the

cross fox.

There are seldom more than four or five of them taken during a season. Its fur is six times the value of that of any other fox in North America. The Gray Fox is sometimes, though rarely, found in Canada, but frequents the southern parts of the United States, as has been before stated.

The Newfoundland Dog is remarkable for its sagacity, strength, size and

beauty, and in external characters differs almost entirely from the Esquimaux, and Hare Indian dog. He is very fond of water, and swims with great ease. He is employed with advantage by the settlers to draw heavily laden sledges, and is an invaluable servant. Of his peculiar sagacity, numerous instances are on record.

The Hare Indian Dog is found on the banks of the Mackenzie, and the Great Bear Lake, and is used by the Hare Indians and a few other tribes for the chase, as it is too small to be useful as a beast of draught or burden. It resembles the prairie wolf, but is smaller in size. It is very playful and affectionate, and very fond of being caressed. It is not, however, docile, and dislikes confinement of every kind. Its voice is very much like that of the prairie wolf.

The North American Dog is more in use than any other in the Hudson's Bay countries and in Canada, and is in size between the Esquimaux and Hare Indian dog; but it wants the strength of the former, and the playful disposition of the latter. It is used in the chase, and by some tribes as a beast of burden or draught, but it has all the sneaking habits of the wolf, with less courage and intelligence. Its color is generally black and gray, striped with white. It has a very thick and woolly coat. The flesh of the North American dog is esteemed before that of almost every other animal by the Canadian voyagers.

The Esquimaux Dog is about the size of the Newfoundland dog, and has a very majestic appearance. It is of great use to the Esquimaux and the traders, in drawing their furs and other baggage. The weight that several of these animals will draw over the snow is really surprising. The number of dogs attached to a sledge is usually five. They are harnessed two abreast, the leader being usually a well broken and long trained dog. He is guided by the voice of his master, and is generally perfectly obedient. The Shrew Mole is found abundantly in Canada, and has the appearance of a small stuffed sack, its head being destitute of external ears, and so extremely small and hidden by the fur that one might suppose the creature blind. Yet it is surprisingly active, and burrows with great quickness, with its broad fore paws. These burrows are sometimes of great depth, and are composed of numerous galleries. Their situation may be generally known by the loose hills of dirt which are found over the surface of them. The favorite food of the shrew mole is earth worms, shrubs, and insects of various kinds. The Star Nose Mole is distinguished by a sort of fringe which surrounds the nostrils. The form of its burrow does not differ much from that of the shrew mole; these are found in the greatest abundance on the

banks of rivulets, and in the soft soil of adjacent meadows. These animals are also found in the United States.

Marmots. The Quebec Marmot, inhabits the wooded districts of Canada. It appears to be a solitary animal, and lives in burrows in the earth, but ascends bushes in the trees, probably in search of birds and other vegetable matters, on which it feeds. The Indians take it by pouring water into its holes.

Parry's Marmot is found in stony districts, where it burrows in the sand between the rocks. Its cry, when alarmed, is like the sound of a watchman's rattle. It feeds on vegetables.

Squirrels. These are found in great numbers in Canada, and the Hudson's Bay country. Among them are the Hudson's Bay, or Red Squirrel, Harkee, Four-banded Pouched Squirrel, Chickaree and Black Squirrel. The Hudson's Bay Leming is found in Labrador, and in all the northern countries of America. Very little is known of it.

The Wolverene, is found in Canada and all the northern parts of the American continent. It is a carnivorous animal, and feeds upon the carcasses of beasts that have been killed by accident. It has prodigious strength, and resembles the bear in its gait. It is much abroad in the winter, and annoys the natives exceedingly by demolishing their marten traps, to come at the bait. It is also said to be a great destroyer of beavers. It is of a dark brown color, and the fur is very much like that of the black bear.

The Canada Porcupine is a sluggish animal, and is very numerous in the sandy districts of the fur countries, where it feeds on the bark and buds of fir and willow trees. It is generally found on the branches, and on